Bhopal, April 30 (IANS) Known for his controversial statements on several issues, Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Minister Ramkrishan Kusmaria was Saturday criticised for ‘trivialising’ opposition to introduction of genetically-modified (GM) crops in the state.
‘The minister made a mockery of Madhya Pradesh and trivialised a sensitive issue,’ NGO Ajai chief and environment activist Shehla Masood told IANS.
Speaking in the state’s Damoh district Thursday, the minister said GM food grain and vegetables would be ‘non-vegetarian’.
‘Use of GM seeds would make every grain and vegetable non-vegetarian and end our vegetarian culture. Nothing will remain vegetarian if genes and bacteria are infused in the DNA of grains and vegetables,’ said Kusmaria, who has written to union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh about the state government’s decision to oppose GM crops.
Madhya Pradesh has become the second state after Bihar to officially oppose GM crops.
Kusmaria is no stranger to controversy and has a penchant for making bizarre statements.
Earlier, when over a hundred farmers – many from his own constituency Damoh – had committed suicide after their crops were damaged, he had blamed the dead farmers’ ‘past sins’.
‘These are old sins that are resulting in such incidents,’ Kusmaria said. He elaborated by claiming that the indiscriminate use of ‘chemicals’ has reduced the fertility and ‘resistance power’ of agricultural land.
